505 1/2 Germantown Pike, Lafayette Hill, PA 19444
800-898-0028

CARING FOR YOUR HOME

BASEMENTS

Damp Walls or Floors

In providing you with poured concrete basement walls we have eliminated many water problems commonly associated with concrete block walls. It takes slightly over one year for the soil disturbed by the excavation and grading of your home to resettle and compact, allowing the water to run off. Before this happens, it is not uncommon for water to seep into the basement or for the walls to become damp. To avoid leaks, be sure to check that mulch is not piled higher than the foundation.

Subsurface Water

Occasionally subsurface water can rise into a basement. If this occurs during the first year you own your home, we will install a sump pump at our cost after determining that the source of the water is truly subsurface. Please contact us in writing if you suspect such a situation exists in your new home.

Dehumidifiers

You may want to use a dehumidifier in your basement, especially during the first year you own your home, to help eliminate the moisture in your house. Your home is well-insulated and it is difficult for the moisture to escape if your house is closed up. We strongly recommend this if you have hardwood floors as they may buckle if there is too much humidity.

As a Precaution

Never store any valuable items or items that will absorb moisture on your basement floor.

We recommend you check your basement window wells regularly if you have them to make sure they are free of debris and that the soil is packed around them and slants away from your foundation.

Make sure gutters are free of debris and that downspouts and splash blocks empty away from your foundation.

If you install landscape material, be sure the original grade is restored so that water runs away from your foundation. Use caution in applying mulch, it can hide an unsuitable grade and may block downspouts. In addition, during heavy snows, make sure you shovel the snow away from basement windows and doors so that water does not seep in when it melts.